“Senate Bill 4 is wrong on many levels. It was arbitrary, didn’t include all the needed stakeholders, was designed and passed without sufficient discussion and leaves far too many questions unanswered. North Carolinians gave legislative control to Republicans who promised honest, transparent and more accountable government. The Senate hasn’t lived up to that promise with Senate Bill 4. We deserve better.”

4 Comments

Frances Jenkins

February 14, 2013 at 6:32 pm

Gov. Perdue and Gov. Easley should have criminal charges brought against them for the misuse of funds at DHHS. How can anyone justify $580,000 in overtime for salaried people in a short period of time and a pracice that extended back for years? This is an issue that Chris, Rob, Sarah and others have turned their backs and how is it possible to add people to the roll of medicaid in such a corrupt system? The loss of services for mental health folks and the poor must shared shared by the silence of those who only attacks Republicans while the Democrats are stealing the hen house. You people are a disgrace.

david esmay

February 14, 2013 at 9:40 pm

Frances do you realize how quickly overtime could add up in an agency the size of DHHS? Apparently not, judging from your always vapid and puerile comments.

Frances Jenkins

February 15, 2013 at 6:33 am

One person recieved most of the money and the work was not completed. The poor are suffering because some people at DHHS cared more about their salary than people. David should care about the poor and those who cannot provide for themselves. DHHS has wasted over a BILLION dollars in what could have been services for the poor. And you people are concerned about Wos answering questions about Lightfoot. In the name of justice, a grand jury should be called and criminal charges should be examined.
Perdue and Easley should be called for explanation as to how NC taxpayers have lost a billion dollars with NO oversight. I suspect this is the beginning of many, many more scandals to come. It is amazing how all the scandals were happening under the watchful eye of NC Policy Watch, Progressive Pulse, Democrarcy NC and NC Justice Center. Get your hands out of your pocket and provide a service to the people for whom you advocate with your nonprofit organizations.

Doug Gibson

February 15, 2013 at 2:54 pm

Frances is arguing with a straw man. Since 2011, when Republicans began running the show, all the organizations she names have been critical of—Republicans. NC Policy Watch, Democracy NC, and the NC Justice Center offered plenty of criticism of Democrats when Democrats were in charge. Note, too, that she doesn’t ask why Civitas or the John Locke foundation didn’t turn up the overtime issue. I should have thought that was their mission.

Her bluster, however, does raise two important points: one is how much good could be done if Art Pope used his millions to help the poor, as opposed to financing propaganda and buying the legislature to benefit the state’s richest citizens. And two, whether every dollar in DHHS waste exposed by our Democratic state auditor will actually be used to help poor people—or if it won’t just be used to underwrite tax cuts that benefit the wealthy.